Three's A Crowd
by tastes-like-ciel
Summary: The two times Yami and Yugi tried to have "relations" and the one time they actually sort of got it right. With help. PWP. YYxY
1. Cold Fries

Title: Three's A Crowd

Genre: Humor/Romance

Rating: M

Warnings: AU-ish. Puzzleshipping smut. There really isn't a plot (unless discovering how to have sex in order to actually have it counts as one). Just something for me to do while I meddle with No Card Games in Wonderland. I apologize in advance. This will have at least three chapters. That's the plan anyway.

Summary: The two times Yami and Yugi tried to have "relations" and the one time they actually sort of got it right. With help. PWP. YYxY

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, okay? Takahashi-sama would likely murder me for this, in fact.

Serena: No. You read it right. I…actually wrote smut. Something I've _never ever_ done before. I've never even _wanted_ to and then one day…_this_. This just pops into my head and suddenly I find myself researching all this stuff about homosexual sex and…ah. *waves hand in the air* For a virgin girl, I think I know too much on this subject now, but what's done is done. Some constructive criticism would be nice. I've taken tips and advice from others on how to write "lemons", but the more I know, the better, right? Although, maybe it doesn't matter much since I don't plan on doing this again, but…who knows? Maybe I will?

-x-x-x-x-

Chapter 1: Cold Fries

-x-x-x-x-

Yami's hand hesitated near the waistline of his partner's unbuttoned trousers, suddenly unwilling to go any further as uncertainty seeped into his thoughts. He let a frown grace his lips as his fingers idly grazed against the skin peeking out from underneath Yugi's partially unbuttoned shirt. He felt a shiver ripple across Yugi's stomach and Yami momentarily paused when his younger counterpart shifted uneasily.

"Other me?" he heard Yugi question, his tone hesitant but encouraging.

Yami looked up from that teasing patch of skin to face his partner. Yugi was biting at his lower lip in a way Yami found increasingly too attractive and it was so _very _distracting that he almost missed that flash of apprehension that passed through his friend's troubled gaze. As such, he caught the tall end of it and it was enough prompting to force him to tear his gaze away from Yugi's reddened lips to stare into Yugi's slightly widened eyes.

"I...uhm..." Yami began rather eloquently. He swallowed a nervous lump that had formed in his throat and wet his lips. His throat suddenly felt too dry for his liking. "Are you sure you...want to do this?"

Yugi turned away for a moment, his cheeks lighting up with a faint blush. Yami took the chance to lace his fingers with Yugi's in an attempt to not only sooth his own nerves, but Yugi's as well. The situation seemed far more awkward than he thought it should have been, but he remained quiet as he waited for his partner to answer and after a moment, Yugi turned back to look at him. He nodded once and moved a hand to wrap around the one Yami still had below his navel.

"I am." Yugi answered, voice wavering a little. He tightened his hold on their entwined hands and took a deep breath before letting out his pent up nervousness in a soft sigh. "I want you."

His hand lingered below his navel for a second longer before he moved it to the side of his hip and pushed down at the fabric. Catching on to what Yugi was doing, Yami reluctantly untangled their fingers so he could aid Yugi in removing his trousers. He tried to readjust his position along the couch so that his partner would have more room to work with, but he became further distracted by Yugi's movements. Yugi was pushing at the couch cushions, back arched and shirt sliding down his sides in a way that left more of his chest and abdomen exposed.

Unable to stop himself and momentarily forgetting that Yugi needed the extra room, Yami leaned down to press a kiss just above his partner's navel. Then, he placed another a little bit higher on his stomach, and yet another, and a few along his chest, his neck and jawline, and finally the corner of his lips. Initially, he felt Yugi stiffen underneath him, but as Yami continued with his soft kisses, Yugi relaxed and a sigh (as well as a smile) slipped past his lips.

Yami let a smile of his own play across his lips and he nuzzled at Yugi's cheek with his nose. He earned a small laugh from Yugi and then chuckled himself when his partner turned his head just enough to brush his lips against Yami's. The brush of skin against skin tingled and Yami took the initiative and pushed them into a kiss. He felt a hand wrap around his shoulder and moved a hand of his own to clutch at Yugi's bare hip.

Hot breath and fluttering touches passed between them. Neither could keep still and were constantly alternating between pressing their bodies together, entwining their fingers, or clutching at various body parts. At one point they separated to take in air and Yugi seemed to remember that he had been trying to remove his trousers. He reluctantly let his hand fall from Yami's arm to continue to push at his pants. All his wiggling and arching did nothing but entice his elder friend and suddenly Yami had his lips pressing against his in another kiss, hard and needy.

Yugi made a little noise in the back of his throat and Yami grunted when their still clothed erections accidentally grinded against one another. They both paused in their actions. Yugi's legs squirmed as if trying to curl together and Yami leaned against the couch, feeling like he could faint.

"_Ah, fuck, Yugi_..." Yami murmured, breaking the kiss against his will.

He hadn't meant to say anything, but the sudden grind against his member sent a sharp spark of arousal through his groin and the whispered, strained words came spilling out on their own.

Yugi made another noise and using a bit more force than he probably intended to, reached up to yank the other man back down into another kiss. Yami was briefly surprised by the force, but it lasted all of half a second before he pressed against Yugi's lips with more fervor than before and they continued as if the grind had never happened. Yugi continued to tug at his own trousers as hands roamed his hips and sides.

Everything was distracting and nothing would focus. The movements of Yugi's legs as he tried to bend them in an attempt to remove his pants, the grazing of Yami's fingers against his skin, their lips alternating between soft kisses and hard mashing, Yugi's free hand threading through Yami's wild locks of hair, etc. But when Yugi bent his legs he failed to take into account the obstacles in his way.

Namely Yami.

Or, to be more specific, Yami's crotch.

The ex-Pharaoh let out a gasp when a knee collided with his erection and he once again broke their kiss, this time hissing in pain. Yugi blinked up at him in a confused haze for a moment before his took a quick glance downward and realized where his knee was.

"O-oh no. I-I'm so sorry!" Yugi blurted out in apology. His cheeks flushed with a heavy red and his eyes widened in embarrassment. "I didn't mean to-!"

He tried to move his legs again, but his trousers were caught around his knees and constricted his movements. With a jerk, he accidentally kneed Yami in the stomach, causing his friend to let out a groan.

"I think that's...enough movement." Yami gasped out, moving to hold a hand over his stomach.

Yugi threw his hands over his face as embarrassment filled his stomach with nervous flutters and flips. He tried very hard to stay still, but he couldn't stop himself from babbling. Most of it was unintelligible, but Yami occasionally caught traces of "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" being thrown here and there. If Yami hadn't been in pain, he would have teased Yugi for the blabber, but instead, he waved a hand in the air dismissively and forced himself to smile.

All things considered, the couch had been a rather _poor _choice.

-x-x-

A pair of wide, equally appalled eyes stared across the table at him. Their owners' jaws were dropped in a shocked sort of awe that made his shoulders slump. This had been the last thing he had wanted to see his friends do, but Yami supposed it was inevitable. Still, it didn't stop the embarrassment from welling up in his chest and he looked away. The stares were making him uncomfortable.

"_Oh my god_." one of his friends finally blurted out, putting an end to the awkward silence that had settled over them. "You two are _hopeless_! You _finally_ hook up and then..._oh my god_."

The blonde seated across from him leaned over the table and dropped his face in his hands. He groaned rather loudly and mumbled a string of unintelligible words under his breath. Beside him their brunet friend, Honda, winced and blew out a low whistle as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Oh, _dude_." the brunet said. His voice carried all the embarrassment and pity Yami had been dreading he would hear and it caused an uncharacteristic hue of pink to dust across his cheeks. He was already beginning to regret his decision to ask them for advice and found himself wishing he could melt into his seat. "Yami, that's..._damn_, man. That sounds _awful_."

Yami closed his eyes briefly and tried to repress the sigh he had building up.

It didn't work.

He opened his eyes after letting the sigh flow freely and directed his gaze to the gradually cooling French fries in front of him. They rested in various positions inside a cardboard rectangle stained with fresh grease spots. He had yet to pick up one of the salty creations and while he did enjoy munching on the crispy little potato sticks Yugi had gotten him hooked on, his appetite had fled the moment he began telling his embarrassing story to Jounouchi and Honda.

Which was a shame. Now his snack was going to be wasted as fries simply weren't as tasty when they were cold.

He glanced up from the depressing sight to see his two friends shaking their heads. Yami sighed again and turned his attention to his drink. He let his fingers idly play with the plastic rim of his drink as he bit the corner of his lip (a nervous tick he picked up from Yugi) and tried to think of how to respond.

Because the story got _worse_. That part was simply a reckless beginning. The second time had been far more terrible.

He settled for saying as much.

"It gets _worse_?" Jounouchi whined. He lifted his head out of his hands to stare at the former Pharaoh incredulously. "Like _how_?"

"We uh...after the 'kneeing' incident, Yugi suggested we get up to undress and..." Yami paused briefly to bow his head as a blush lit up his cheeks. "...we tripped and fell off the couch."

Jounouchi immediately set his head back into his hands and groaned. Beside him, Honda looked like he was about to burst from the effort of holding in his laughter.

"_No no no._" Jounouchi mumbled.

Yami just nodded his head and picked at the plastic rim of his drink.

"And then Yugi fell over the coffee table when he tried to stand. He still has a bruise from that."

"Yami, _stop_."

"...and I hit my head trying to help him up."

Honda couldn't hold it in anymore and he doubled over the table in laughter. The table shook with light vibrations and Yami, despite the embarrassing hue of pink coating his cheeks, looked up from his fries to send the brunet a glare.

"Oh...shut up." he mumbled. When Honda didn't, he threw a fry at him. It missed. "_Ugh_...like I said before, it gets worse and we could really use a little...advice."

"More like a lot." Honda added as his laughter began to die down.

This time the fry Yami tossed at him hit its mark and Honda looked up only to meet the pointed glare of his grumpy friend. He flashed Yami a grin.

"So, you have more to tell us, right?" he prompted.

Yami frowned and folded his arms over the table.

"Unfortunately..."

-x-x-

Serena: Being a newb at this sort of thing, I can't promise you quality. Then again, even if I was a seasoned "lemon" writer, it still probably wouldn't be quality. Well. Anyway. Leave a review if you would like to see more or if you have constructive criticism to give or both. I'm not picky. Be advised that the next chapter has an actual lemon. Or part of one. Like Yami said, it gets worse~


	2. I Know a Guy

Serena: Why am I writing this? *rolls into the sun*

I'd like to give a thank you to Altair718, CutePiglet, s2Teennovelist, luvanime4life, and Unattainable Dreams for their nice reviews!

Warnings: AU-ish. Puzzleshipping smut. Legit first ever "lemon" (well, part of one) and I am sorry, but it's a piece of shit. I gave up and rushed it at some point and just…this is me acknowledging that it's a piece of shit, okay? Okay.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!.

-x-x-x-x-

Chapter 2: I Know a Guy

-x-x-x-x-

Yugi sat cross-legged before a cluttered mess of tiny, square packages that looked like multicolored candy wrappers and two bottles of ointment, one appearing more silly than the other. He watched with a steadily growing twinge of embarrassment as his partner of seven years (the once great and powerful Nameless Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt - now only known to the modern era as "Yami Sennen") fingered one of the square packages with all the curiosity of a young child. The plastic square he held was a bright shade of blue and had a flat, circular bulge protruding from its center. The elder man was continually flipping it between his long fingers again and again, all the while eyeing it with curiosity and a growing sense of unease.

"...so, _this_" Yami said at last, waving the blue package in the air. "is a condom?"

Yugi's fingers dug into the white duvet that blanketed their shared bed. He turned away from his friend as a blush slowly began to settle itself across his cheeks. He bit the corner of his bottom lip and chewed at it briefly before merely nodding his head in answer.

"Yeah." he replied. He turned back and eyed the package Yami was still holding. "Yeah, that's...uhm, _that_. Mhm."

Yami hummed at the answer and continued to stare at the tiny piece of plastic, a frown slowly tugging at his lips. A flash of uncertainty shimmered across his violet eyes and he let the package slip from his fingers to rejoin the others scattered between he and Yugi. He moved to pick up one of the bottles (a skinny pink one that smelled faintly of cotton candy) and gave the label a despairing glance.

"Juicy Lube." he mumbled, a vague pinkish tint dusting his cheeks. He shook his head and let the bottle bounce back onto the bed. He sighed and buried his face into his hands. "They couldn't have had something _less _ridiculous? This era..."

Yugi couldn't help but cringe at the name himself. It sounded more like a brand of chewing gum than a personal lubricant. Yami must have been in an awful hurry to leave that place. Otherwise, Yugi was certain his other half would _not_ have bought something so...so silly sounding.

The pink "Juicy Lube" bottle was one of the two lubricants Yami had obtained from a "lover's boutique" somewhere in downtown Domino City. It was the place where Jounouchi apparently bought most of his porn from and, according to him, it had everything the two lover's-in-training could possibly want or need for the bedroom. Originally, Yugi had nominated himself to go visit the shop, _but_, unfortunately for the former pharaoh, Yugi chickened out after running into an overeager employee and he returned to their apartment in a flustered mess. Thus, Yami had to be the one to venture out and gather the supplies they actually hadn't had during that spontaneous moment on the couch.

_That poor, poor man._

Yugi should have known sending an ancient Egyptian pharaoh into a sex store (_by himself_) was a bad idea. It probably made for a hilarious parody idea or a trope of some kind, but in real life, _no_. Yugi was certain his other half was mentally scarred from the whole ordeal and he felt guilty about it.

Yami lifted his face from his hands and stared down at the condoms with a skeptical eye.

"How exactly are these _things_" Yami continued, snatching up a bright pink condom. "even...applied? It says they're thin. How do they not break?"

Yugi's persistent blush darkened at the question and he dropped his gaze to the mess of unopened condoms in front of him. How should he say this?

"Well, um, I'm not sure about the breaking part, but I remember Anzu telling me that you could practice with a banana or...you know, _yourself _or...something long."

Yugi glanced back up only to quickly turn away at the look Yami was sending him. _God_, could this _get_ any more embarrassing?

"Why-" Yami started but abruptly cut himself off with a shake of his head. Yugi let his gaze return to his partner and almost laughed at the disturbed look he saw. "Never mind. I don't want to know of the subjects you and Anzu-...just never mind."

Yami redirected his gaze to the pink condom he held and pursed his lips at it. He flipped it to its other side and hummed, one eyebrow rising questioningly.

"Practice, hunh?" he mumbled to himself.

He stared at it for another moment before he glanced up and locked gazes with Yugi. A stretch of silence passed between them in which all they did was stare at each other. Their stares intermingled and feelings communicated through twin sets of purple in a way that only those who were as close as they were could manage. Yugi's blush gradually faded into nothing and Yami eventually let that pink condom fall back onto the bed in favor of eliminating the distance between them.

Yami crawled across the bed to seat himself next to Yugi, causing the condoms to scatter into an even bigger mess. Fingers drifted up Yugi's bare arm and a hand moved to brush Yugi's blonde locks away from his face. Yami leaned in, warm breath ghosting across Yugi's neck and ear.

"_Practice_." Yami repeated, the rumbling tone causing Yugi to shiver pleasantly. Yugi adored his other's voice as is, but it did this thing sometimes where it dipped slightly in pitch and rolled into an otherwise unheard accent that sounded like a soft growl. And Yugi really, _really _liked it. "I like that idea, but you'll have to_ educate me_, partner_. _We didn't have such things in my time_."_

Yugi turned and caught Yami's lips in a quick kiss, growling slightly as he did so.

"You do that on purpose." Yugi accused with an almost pout. He moved to drape his arms around Yami's neck and gave the elder man another quick peck on the lips. Yami responded by wrapping an arm around Yugi's waist and pulling them closer. "That rolling thing you do with your voice. You're a cheater."

Yami breathed out a chuckle and threaded his fingers through Yugi's hair. The hand at Yugi's waist slipped underneath his shirt and began to gently rub his fingertips against his partner's skin. It sent a light shiver down Yugi's spine and he tightened his hold around Yami's neck, his hands moving to tangle themselves into the other man's hair.

"Aren't I allowed an advantage?" Yami asked, a teasing smile playing across his lips. He tilted his head slightly and brushed his lips against Yugi's, the touch soft and sweet and Yugi was disappointed when it ended. "You have your eyes - which I adore, by the way - and I have my voice~"

Yugi rolled his eyes at that, but his frown melted into a soft smile all the same. He nuzzled his nose against Yami's and stole another kiss.

"Mm. Maybe."

Yami's hand traveled up Yugi's side, the black tank top Yugi wore bunching and exposing more and more skin as it was pushed. Yugi's fingers tightened their hold on Yami's wild locks and he pulled until suddenly they were tilting, their lips meeting just before Yugi's back hit the soft bedding underneath them.

They spent a good few minutes doing nothing else, lips locked and arms and legs tangled around each other almost greedily. Their hands roamed, Yami's sliding along Yugi's sides and Yugi's alternating between grasping Yami's hair, neck, and shoulders. Their legs grazed against each other, knees bumping, thighs touching, and pelvises unintentionally grinding in ways that left them breathless but wanting more.

At some point, clothes began to be pulled and buttons and zippers mysteriously came undone, things were tugged loose, hands found new areas of skin to roam, and -

- and suddenly Yugi realized he was _naked_, and Yami _wasn't_, and the young duelist couldn't quite figure out when this had occurred (as the moving body atop his was quite...well, distracting). The feel of Yami's leather clad lower half rubbing and grazing against his naked skin caused all sorts of crazy sensations to flutter across his body. Though Yugi couldn't quite say he was unhappy about this turn of events, he still found the situation bothersome enough to put a stop to their activities.

"I know you like your leather," Yugi began once he had pushed Yami away somewhat. With one hand still pressed against his other's chest, Yugi reached down to tug the top button of Yami's pants open. He was thankful Yami hadn't worn a belt today. "but stop teasing me. _Off_ with it."

Yami's eyes flashed, a hint of a smug little smirk tugging at his lips. He chuckled at Yugi's impatient tone.

"As you wish~"

Yami leaned back onto his knees, but made no further move to stand. He continued to straddle Yugi's waist as he worked to pull his shirt off. In no time at all, it was removed and carelessly tossed aside. At another impatient tug down below from Yugi, Yami chuckled again and stood. The leather pants came off as well (as did the briefs that were sporting a noticeable bulge) and joined all their discarded garments at the foot of the bed.

"Better?"

Yugi found himself unable to keep his eyes from wandering down his other's slender build, but he also couldn't help but appreciate the view (in a strictly artistic sense, naughty brain). Broad shoulders, lithe muscles, a taunt stomach, deliciously narrow hips, and flawless skin as pale as Yugi's own. Yugi's eyes traveled back upward and locked gazes with Yami's. Those simmering hues of purple were so devastatingly intense, just two pools of liquid fire that forever burned with affection. There was such a raw desire and _need_ shining in the elder man's gaze that it caught Yugi's breath, words sticking in his throat.

For a moment, he couldn't seem to remember what he wanted to say, but when Yami moved back upon the bed and straddled his waist again, the feeling of skin-on-skin contact just felt -

"Better." Yugi breathed.

Warm thighs captured Yugi's hips as he and Yami (a bit more hesitantly than before) resumed their earlier positions and tangled themselves around one another. As their hands explored and mouths ravished each other here and there, the temperature gradually increased to a hazy heat and made Yugi's head fuzzy. He felt his lower half arch into Yami's, this urge to do so and the resulting continuous rubbing and grabbing being purely instinct driven. Without the hindrance of the leather pants and other unnecessary things in their way, the bumping and grinding along with their unsteady movements added a new element to the increasingly delightful friction growing between them. Their bodies were slick with sweat and the building pressure down below was slowly driving Yugi mad. It built and built and built until -

"Wait." Yami spoke up suddenly, his voice breathy and weighted down with something Yugi's mind was far too dazed to process. He pushed himself up on his hands and knees and stayed that way. "Just...just hold on a minute."

Yugi's legs squirmed at the stalled movements and he chewed at his bottom lip, unsure of how to handle the situation. A quick glance at Yami's expression caused a flare of worry to settle in his stomach and he sent his other half a questioning look.

"What's wrong?" Yugi managed to ask through a strained voice. Yami was beginning to look increasingly nervous as the seconds slowly ticked by. "You look...ill."

Yami took a breath, only to give a soft sigh. He leaned down to plant a quick kiss against Yugi's forehead and quickly shook his head in answer.

"Not ill. Merely...nervous." he said. His gaze moved away from Yugi's concerned stare and glanced in the direction of all the unopened condoms. "I just...had a thought."

Yugi blinked, but when he turned his head slightly to take in the sight Yami was staring at, realization dawned on him. He stared at the brightly colored, plastic squares and promptly blushed.

"Oh."

Well, it..._that_ was what they had intended to do from the start. The nakedness and touching and marking and rubbing, Yugi could handle that (because it was Yami he was doing it with). It wasn't so far outside his comfort zone that it made him feel unsure about it and his body just seemed to already know what it wanted. Everything up until this point had been happening on its own. It was just..._penetration_.It sounded so..._oh_, Yugi couldn't think of a word for it.

"If...if you don't want to, I'll understand." Yami continued. He sounded about as sure of the next step as Yugi himself did. "I know this is something we both want, but if you'd rather try some other time, there's nothing wrong with waiting. I could wait forever."

And Yugi knew Yami could. Spending over 3 millennia trapped inside an ancient paperweight tended to teach a person a thing or two about patience. (Never mind that Yami's patience only extended to Yugi, Duel Monsters, and, on most occasions, their friends; in that order.)

Yugi shook his head and reached over to grab the closet bottle of lubricant he could reach.

Unfortunately for both of them, it was the Juicy Lube bottle.

"I know, but this is our only free time for a while." Yugi said. He made a face at the bottle, but didn't ask for Yami to retrieve the other one. "I have to finish that term paper before the week is out and Kaiba was really insistent on you putting in some overtime."

Yami rolled his eyes and frowned at the mention of Kaiba.

"He just wants to use me as a guinea pig for some virtual simulation test." he replied albeit irritably. He sighed and reached over to grab a condom. This one was a bright green. "I'll be lucky to return home with all my limbs intact. Last time he talked me in to helping him test something, he left me to rot when his virtual projections suddenly turned homicidal and tried to maim me."

"Mm. Siegfried again?"

Yami nodded as he tore the condom open and then proceeded to stare at the rolled up material questioningly.

"Their bickering is a pain in the ass to listen to." he continued, shaking his head as Yugi giggled. "But enough about work. This...Partner, this _thing _looks very unreliable."

"Anzu said they held up pretty well when she tested them out on...stuff. They _can _break, but it should be fine, other me."

Yami sent his partner another look.

"...is there anything else our all-knowing condom guru mentioned?"

Yugi blinked and considered the question for a few moments.

"...the flavored ones taste bad."

Yami had the decency to look a bit disturbed by that, but wisely kept his mouth shut. He tossed the opened wrapper in a random direction and leaned back a bit. He continued to fiddle with the rubbery material for a moment before sighing at himself and reaching down to roll the thing on.

Rather than make things even more awkward by watching, Yugi busied himself with pumping out a handful of lube. The slick lubricant was a little cool, but not unbearably so. It was close to being room temperature (which was somewhere in the middle of hot and cold, at the moment). He tossed the bottle to the side after giving it another pump and marveled at both it and what was happening. It was a strange situation, after all. Here he was holding a palm full of lube and waiting on Yami, who was straddling his waist while rolling a condom up his cock like it was an everyday occurrence.

A trickle of amusement settled in the pit of Yugi's belly and he bit his lip to keep himself from laughing out loud. To think they could have ever ended up like this...

"Well?" Yugi prompted once the moment of amusement had passed. "You good to go?"

"Mm." Yami hummed, but made a face regardless. "It feels strange, but...I think so."

Yugi gave a small nod of his head and, without any sort of warning, he reached over and slathered the lube he had onto Yami's cock. The ex-Pharaoh made a small noise and jumped a little at the sudden touch. His gasp turned into a hiss when Yugi's hands traveled the length of the condom, fingers spreading and hands gently rubbing to apply the lube more thoroughly.

"Y-yugi..." the elder of the two choked out, a tremor trickling through his body.

Yugi looked up once the lubricant was spread to his liking, palms still coated with a slick sheen of residue and fingertips lightly brushing against the surface of the condom. A small blush lit up his face, but he sent his other half a cheeky grin and moved to adjust his position until his hips were canted and his legs were spread.

Welp. Only one thing to do now.

Still affected by Yugi's boldness (but with a newfound spark in his eyes that made Yugi shiver), Yami swallowed a lump in his throat and situated himself between Yugi's legs. His hands settled around Yugi's hips, fingers idly grazing against his smooth skin. He hesitated and took a breath. Yugi felt the elder's body tense.

"...tell me the moment something doesn't feel right." Yami pleaded, glancing up to pin Yugi with a piercing stare. "I'm _serious_, Partner. No trying to be brave or just plain stubborn. ...I don't want to hurt you."

Yugi lifted an arm to brush his fingers against Yami's cheek and sent him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry so much, other me. I'll be fine. I promise."

Yami frowned, but gave a slight nod of his head and took another breath to calm himself. Then, after hesitating again, he reached down and gently began to guide himself inside.

Yugi let his hand fall to the duvet and blinked in wonder. He didn't know what he was expecting really. A jolt of pain, maybe the condom breaking (could you even feel when that happened?), or a need for more lube because maybe he hadn't pumped out enough, but there was none of that. There was only the pressure and an odd sense of uncertainty (which, Yugi mused, was a little late in joining the rest of his emotions).

Had they forgotten something?

As the pressure down below increased, Yugi found his body tensing. He squirmed a little as the beginnings of a dull pain started, but he merely took hold of Yami's shoulders for the sake of holding on to something and said nothing about it. He wasn't sure if it was normal or not and he knew he should mention it to Yami, but...well, it made sense, didn't it? Humans weren't really built for having something shoved up their bottoms. There was bound to be some kind of pain, right? Besides, the pain wasn't terrible. It was just... you know, _there_.

As Yami continued to push in, however, the pain spread into a burning sensation and Yugi's eyes widened. His body tensed up even more and he bit his lip, fingers tightening their hold around Yami's shoulders.

Maybe..._shit_. _This didn't feel right. _Was this normal?

"Partner?" Yami prompted, voice breathy and strained but sounding so concerned that Yugi felt guilty. Briefly, he wondered how this felt on Yami's end, but the spreading pain in his rear quickly drowned out the thought and he hissed at the feeling. "Are you alright?!"

_**No**__. It fucking __**hurt**__._

Yugi quickly shook his head, tears pricking at his eyes as he tried to calm himself with deep breathes. Maybe he was being too childish. Maybe everything would get better as they kept going.

Or maybe that was a load of bullshit and they needed to _stop this right now_.

The pain burned and continued to spread. Yugi let out a gasp, legs squirming and fingers alternating between clenching and unclenching. The pain was getting _worse_ despite Yami having stopped. Yugi felt horrible in more ways than one, but he couldn't do this.

"O-other me...I don't...I don't like this."

Yami needed no further incentive to pull out (which actually hurt more than entering had).

-x-x-

The voice at the other end of the line let out a pitying sigh.

"_Oh, Yugi._"

Yugi leaned against the wall nearest the telephone. He titled his head, gaze rolling up towards the ceiling. He let out a sigh of his own. He and Yami were really bad at this.

"I know, Anzu, I know." he replied. He ran a hand through his tri-colored locks and groaned. "Yami was so gentle and he was _really_ trying, but everything still went wrong. _Again_. He still feels so bad about it."

Yugi's hand fell to his blonde locks and he grabbed hold of one strand to absentmindedly play with.

"He wouldn't stop coddling me the rest of the week."

Anzu's amused giggle filtered through the phone's speakers and a small smile crossed Yugi's lips.

"Even when you're having problems, you're both so cute about it." the brunette responded through her giggles, causing a tiny blush to light up Yugi's cheeks. "I really miss you guys."

Yugi's smile turned sad at that.

"Mm. We miss you, too. The gang just isn't the same without you." Yugi said, chuckling a little at the sigh Anzu let out. "Don't sound like that. We're happy for you, Anzu. You're living your dream and we support you."

"I know, but still. I've made a few friends, but it's not the same without you guys. I can't wait for the holidays so I can come back home."

Yugi's smile widened and his eyes shimmered in mirth.

"Mm. How's America, by the way? Gone on any dates yet?"

"_Yugi!_" Anzu whined, earning amused chuckling from her friend. She huffed. "New York is really amazing and the dance instructors and students are really friendly and fun to work with. I like it here, but _no_, Yugi Mutou. I have _not_ had any dates."

Yugi giggled again before his attention turned towards the kitchen refrigerator. Attached to the doors were various photographs from different times and postcards from Anzu being held by little Kuriboh magnets. The postcards had various pictures of the Statue of Liberty, the Museum of Natural History, random Broadway pictures and other dance-related things, and some had Anzu herself holding up hand-drawn signs in greeting. As for the photographs, they were from different times and places during the past several years. Some from college or vacations they had taken and some from just around the city, but one was hanging in the center of them all that gave Yugi pause. It featured he and Yami from about five years ago. The two of them were laughing at something stupid Jounouchi had done and while in the midst of their giggling, Anzu had seen fit to snap a photograph of them as a sort of commemorative keepsake.

A keepsake to remind them that Yami staying had been a good thing.

"..."

The photo was from their trip to Egypt, the one where Yami was meant to claim his long lost memories.

Yugi still couldn't figure out what had happened that day. Yami had indeed regained his past as the Pharaoh Atem and the two had then proceeded to conclude the journey (Yami's journey) at long last by sending the 3,000 year-old spirit to the afterlife. Although Yugi had hated the thought of losing his friend, he had accepted that Yami wanted to (supposedly) move on. It had only been fair. Yami deserved to rest.

But that never happened. The ceremonial duel that had been required of them ended in total disaster before it could really begin.

Yugi couldn't remember much about it, to be honest. He only remembered starting the duel, things going wrong, and then waking up in a hospital a day or so later. Apparently, he had been injured when their dueling arena decided to cave in (why, no one really knew) and Yami had made the split-second decision to save him rather than do something else.

And then later, after Yugi woken up to find the once-spirit dozing off in a chair at his side, Yami had confided that he wished to stay. He didn't want to find another way to cross over and, if Yugi allowed it, he wanted to stay by his side.

Saying that Yugi had been overjoyed by the news would be an understatement. He nearly cuddled the poor guy to death.

"-ugi? Yugi!"

Yugi blinked away his musings and returned his attention to Anzu.

"Sorry. I spaced out for a moment." he apologized with a sheepish smile. He heard Anzu sigh at him. "I was just thinking about him and...well, you know I have a bad habit of zoning out."

"Hopeless." the brunette mumbled. Yugi chuckled. "I'll say it again and you better listen this time, mister! Anyway, I think I know someone who can help you and Yami out. He's pretty knowledgeable about this sort of thing and as a bonus, you already know him. So, it won't be too awkward to deal with. Want me to hook you up?"

Yugi blinked, head tilting at the information. Someone they knew? Who could that be?

"I don't think Yami will mind that. He's probably asking Jounouchi and Honda about it right now and I'm a little worried that they'll tell him something weird. Who is this guy?"

Yugi could practically hear the smile in her voice.

"Otogi."

-x-x-x-x

Serena: Foreplay, darlings, foreplay. Also, I don't think I am cut out for such things. Never again I think (but at the same time I have ideas omg help me). Oh well. Learning experience and all that. Uhm, again, constructive criticism is appreciated, but like I said before, maybe it doesn't matter since I'm not planning on ever doing this again. …_ugh_, this is the worst thing I've ever written.


	3. Fluff 'n Stuff

Serena: Sorry this took so long. Work has been eating at my writing time a lot. It also doesn't help that I do not manage my time well. I organize most everything else with almost obsessive precision, but my time? Nope. Anyone got any time management tips? **Also**, the original second part of this turned into a giant clusterfuck of words. I had two different ideas for it and am just having trouble getting it all together. Mainly because of my lack of writing these past few weeks. I need more time to deal with it. In the meantime, take what I do have done as a peace offering.

I'd like to give a thank you to yamiishot, CutePiglet, s2Teennovelist, Altair718, and JazzyMin for their nice reviews!

Warnings: AU-ish. Puzzleshipping smut. A whole lot of nothing really.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!.

-x-x-x-x-

Chapter 3: Fluff 'n Stuff

-x-x-x-x-

Due to circumstances and food temperature changes beyond his control, Yami was forced to buy himself another small order of fries before heading home (seeing as the previous set had met an unfortunate end after being collectively tossed in Honda's general direction). As he walked and lazily munched on salty fry after salty fry, the once-Pharaoh scrolled through a mental list of everything Jounouchi and Honda had suggested to him.

Slowly, but surely, he discarded each and every one of them (as every single one was just..._awful_).

The first suggestion he pondered over came courtesy of Jounouchi. It was cheesy and rather cliché, but compared to the rest of their ideas, it was the least embarrassing. It went something along the lines of: "_Whoever's topping who - and I'm just gonna guess it's you - has to set the mood. You pick a place and just totally deck it out in romance-y shit. Somethin' Yug would really like, if you wanna score some bonus points. Like uh...I don't know. Toss some rose petals everywhere? And maybe some candles or somethin'? No wait! Use Duel Monsters cards instead of rose petals! That's a perfect idea! He'd be all over that!_"

Indeed. Yugi would be all over Yami (and upset) for scattering their respective decks all over the place. Yami wouldn't blame him, either. Tossing cards here and there (possibly even losing some in the process) would be completely disrespectful to the spirits of the creatures the cards represented. He could not (and would not) do that. Because other than being disrespectful, it sounded messy and rather pointless.

But so did scattering mutilated rose petals. Yami was not about to trash their shared bedroom by turning it into a flower graveyard. And candles? He was trying to have sex with his partner, not perform a séance.

Yami's mental secretary drew a very bold line through that idea. Absolutely not.

Suggestion number two came from the ever helpful Honda and it was a lot more...daring than the first one. Too daring for Yami's tastes and he seriously doubted Yugi would even be interested in such a thing to begin with. The idea was something like: "_I got one word for you, man. Bondage~ ...oh, c'mon, don't give me __**that **__look, Jounouchi! I can see Yugi being in to that. Hell, I can see __**Yami **__being in to it. No offense, man, but you're both like a magnet for kinky shit._"

While Yami couldn't say he disagreed, he hadn't particularly liked that statement. Also, admittedly, Yami hadn't had any idea what bondage was until Honda suggested it and he had no clue _how_ it was even considered "advice", but after a little explanation to clear up any confusion, he had promptly tossed what remained of his cold fries at Honda's head and very nearly left on the spot. Perhaps he should have (because the more his two friends opened their mouths, the worse the ideas became).

Which leads to this: "_I think I gotta agree with Honda on this one. At least about the kink magnet part. Remember two years ago with the shadow tentacles? __**Augh**__. I still have nightmares, but ah...you guys tried watching porn? The place I go to has like __**everything **__you could __**ever**__ want. You went there before, right? Anyway, I dunno what you two are into, but maybe you should try that? You could watch it naked and do that...you know that cuddly thing you guys do._"

A blush rose to his cheeks merely thinking about it and he bit into another French fry with a little more force than he meant to use. Lying around the apartment naked and being affectionate with his partner was tempting (and, perhaps, one day...), but...watch _porn _together? Actually _watch_ _other people_ _have sex_? A thousand times no! That would just...be _incredibly _awkward.

And _oh_. Suggestion number four was no better: "_You guys __**are **__really cuddly, you know? How many times have we caught them snuggled up to each other in their sleep again? I've lost count..._ _Oh, but __**porn**__.____That's a __**great**__ idea, man. The naked thing, too. I'm not sure if the hardcore stuff would work out for you two, though. It should be...what's the word? Sweet? Fluffy? Is that even a thing with porn? Well, anyway, yeah. That. But...hm. Try...going to a gay bar? You could get advice from someone there. There's bound to be a good selection of experienced guys that can help._"

Perhaps, but those people would be strangers. Yami didn't want to discuss such things with a total stranger (in fact, he wished he had never discussed it with his two friends). Besides, he had already had the unfortunate opportunity to venture inside one of those establishments. Really, he had been tricked into it. It had been an _awful _experience (mainly due to the creepy business associate he had been set up with) and he had yet to get his revenge on Kaiba for that one. That insufferable prick...

Yami briefly pretended his next fry was a miniature Kaiba and viciously tore it in half with his teeth. He only felt slightly better.

'_This is beginning to seem hopeless._' he mused to himself, sighing after he swallowed his fry. '_Perhaps we just need more practice, but...I cannot harm Yugi like that again. Nothing is worth making him cry._'

Aside from giving himself a headache from all the thoughts running through his mind and finishing off his tasty little container of fries, the rest of Yami's walk home was rather uneventful. When he finally did make it to the apartment complex, he pulled his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door, all the while pondering over what he would say to Yugi. How was he going to explain all the perverted things his friends suggested?

Then again, Yugi probably expected it.

He walked into the apartment to find the television quietly droning in the background, some cartoon featuring a boy and his yellow dog playing on the screen. A glance at the couch gave him an obscured view of his partner, who was sprawled across the couch cushions with a remote dangling from his limp hand. He was either exhausted, bored, or just being lazy. Possibly all three. College tended to do that to people, after all.

"Partner, I'm home." he called out needlessly as he shut the door behind him. He slipped out of his shoes before walking across the carpeted floor to plop down at Yugi's feet. He took another glance at the television and rose an eyebrow at it. "What are they doing?"

"Playing a game. They're only allowed to talk using signs they made within thirty seconds." Yugi answered. He let out a short giggle as the boy held up a sign in annoyance that said "I love you, Jake". "I think Jake is winning."

Yami shook his head at it. He didn't quite see the show's appeal, but it amused his partner so he tried to learn a little about it. He knew most of the reoccurring characters' names, at least. He even had a favorite. A girl with flowing black hair that floated around like a skulking ghost. Yami could relate to that.

"Mm. It makes for a fairly silent episode, aside from the music."

Yugi pushed himself up into a sitting position and crawled over to Yami's end of the couch, leaving the remote behind. He hooked an arm through one of Yami's and snuggled into his side, letting out a pleased sigh as he settled. Yami merely smiled and took hold of Yugi's free hand with his own before resting his head atop Yugi's.

"So, how did your play date with the guys go?" Yugi asked, changing the subject. His eyes flickered down to stare at their joined hands. He let his fingers flutter along the curves of Yami's hand, tracing creases and sliding their fingers between and around each other. "Learn anything?"

"I learned not to ask them for sexually related advice." Yami muttered with a short sigh. He glanced away from the television to stare down at their entwined hands. He idly joined Yugi in his hand playing. "They mean well, I suppose, but their advice -and I use that term lightly - is unusable. We're no closer than we were before, I'm afraid."

Yugi curled his fingers around Yami's hand in a gentle squeeze and adjusted his position enough to where he could tilt his head upward and plant a kiss against the corner of Yami's mouth. He smiled and sent his other half a little wink.

"Never fear, other me, I had a back-up plan~"

"Did you?" Yami asked, eyebrow rising. He leant forward and nuzzled his nose against Yugi's, smiling slightly. "How sneaky of you, Partner. What was this back-up plan of yours, if I may ask?"

Yugi's smile widened and his eyes danced with amusement.

"Ask Anzu."

Yami blew out a chuckle and tilted his head to place a quick kiss against Yugi's forehead.

"Of course you did. Our condom guru knows best, I suppose." he replied. He turned his head so that it was resting atop Yugi's again and he lifted their entwined hands into the air, near his face. "I take it she was able to help?"

Yami brought Yugi's hand to his lips and rained slow, soft kisses upon it, from the back of his wrist to the tips of his fingers. He could feel Yugi practically melting against him and it sent a swarm of butterflies fluttering through his heart and an acidic heat burning through his skin.

_Ahhhh_. He would _never _tire of this. He thanked the gods every day for giving Yugi the Puzzle. Of course, he had no way of knowing that their lives would turn out like this. It certainly hadn't been planned and that disaster of a trip to Egypt still occasionally bothered him when he was in one of his brooding moods, but he was happy. As long as he had Yugi by his side, he didn't need or want anything else.

"Kind of." Yugi answered, nuzzling into the embrace like a kitten. He almost purred. "She recommended someone for us to talk to. He's actually on his way here right now. He was free today."

Yami blinked and paused in his lazy kisses to send Yugi a curious look.

"He? Who?"

Yugi opened his mouth to answer, but the sound of a doorbell ringing stopped him and he glanced over Yami's shoulder to stare at the door.

"You'll see." he mumbled out in reply before wiggling his way out of their snuggling hold. He earned a displeased, almost pouty groan from Yami, but a quick peck on the cheek silenced any possible verbal complaints Yami might have had. "Be patient for a little bit, other me. After he's gone, I'm all yours~"

Yami sighed and his lips pulled into a displeased, pouty sort of frown. He was ready to protest regardless (Yugi was free, he was free, and Yami _really _wanted some snuggly bonding time with his partner because reasons), but instead waved his hand at the door in a vague gesture of acceptance.

"Alright," he consented, a warning edge to his tone. "but just fair warning, Partner. You're going to be my pillow for the remainder of the evening whether you like it or not. Be prepared for that."

Yugi shook his head at him, a couple of giggles rolling out of his throat as he wandered off towards the front door.

"You're so clingy on your off days." Yugi mused out loud.

Yami crossed one leg over the other and leaned back against the couch, letting himself melt into the cushions as he awaited whomever Anzu had set them up with. Was it someone they knew? He didn't believe Yugi would allow a total stranger into their home. So, it had to of been a friend of theirs. Or, at least, someone they knew something about.

'_I wonder who it is?_' he mused, gaze returning to the television. That same show was on, but it was probably about to wind to a close fairly soon. He reached over and grabbed the remote from where Yugi had left it and flicked the television off. No sense in leaving it on if they were going to discuss their sex life. '_I hope this goes well. Anything would be better than Jounouchi and Honda's idea of advice, though._'

He heard the sound of the front door opening and it was followed by a short exchange of voices before he heard the door close again. He turned in his seat and blinked up at the visitor he saw trailing along behind Yugi.

"Otogi?"

It had been about four years since Yami had last seen him, but he looked about the same as he remembered him, merely older. His face was sharper and his physic was less boyish, but his long, black hair was still tied into that same ponytail he always wore and a single dice earring still clung to his earlobe like he had been born with it. He even still had an affinity for wearing red and black, it seemed. Some things never changed, Yami supposed.

The dark-haired CEO of the Black Crown raised a hand in greeting, a small smile on his face and vibrant green eyes filled with amusement.

"Yami. It's been a while." he stated in greeting. His eyebrows rose a little bit and a mischievous twinkle flitted through his gaze. "I heard you guys could use a little _help_."

-x-x-x-x-

Serena: Again, apologies for the lack of content. But maybe the little bit of fluff was worth it? I dunno.


End file.
